Rural school districts have problems providing specialized training to staff in remote areas, and rural teachers often need specialized knowledge because of the lack of programs for rural students with low incidence handicaps. Emerging videodisc technology may lessen some of these difficulties. Utah State University has developed a…

Science may be the subject area in which elementary teachers are the least confident and prepared to teach. The purpose of this project was to develop an effective model to better prepare teachers by enhancing their content background, and helping them teach inquiry-oriented science. Three departments, Biology, Chemistry, and Education, combined…

These conference proceedings include three invited lectures, a panel discussion, three working group reports, two reports from topic groups and a participant list. The invited lectures include a discussion of the impact of calculators on the calculus curriculum (Herbert S. Wilf); a consideration of the role of misconceptions in learning…

A review of studies on early field experiences centers on John Dewey's belief that pre-practice teaching laboratory experiences should foster reflective criticism of educational purposes and instructional methods and result in more effective student teaching experiences. Current studies have indicated that early field experiences, by focusing on…

One component of the "Master Curriculum Guide in Economics for the Nation's Schools," this guide demonstrates, through sample lessons, how the conceptual structure of economics, presented in part 1 of the series, can be taught in the K-12 curricula. The guide is designed to accelerate economics instruction at all grade levels, including the…

A three-part study was undertaken to determine the status of preservice elementary science education in New England. The first part ("Crisis in Elementary Science Education: New England") reports on a survey of New England teacher education institutions to determine the amount and types of science content and elementary science methods…

Describes the use of an activity aimed at constructing a "Unit Box" in a science methods course for elementary teachers. (PEB)

TAPE, Theory and Practicum--Elementary, was founded on the assumption that the integration of theory and practice is vital to a preservice education program. This is a 24-semester-hour, field-based, preservice teacher training option of the Elementary Education program at Texas Tech University. Integrated with a student teaching component, it…

Specific areas in foreign language teacher training programs are defined as problem areas: the teaching of culture, activities to promote the study of foreign languages, and language testing. It is stated that foreign language teachers should have competence in (1) content area, (2) the learning-teaching process, and (3) the relationship of…

Reported is a study designed to test Hovland's principle of attitude change as related to attitudes toward science and science teaching. Hovland's research provided information that communicators who were perceived as being highly credible and authoritative are more likely to produce greater attitude change than are communicators perceived as less…

This journal issue deals with training teachers of reading. The four articles discuss a summer reading methods practicum that worked, how students rate their reading instructors, how reading consultants can survive school politics, and college students' perceptions of the fairness and the difficulty of examinations. (FL)

TO DECREASE CULTURE SHOCK TO THE TEACHER IN A DISADVANTAGED CLASSROOM, A PROGRAM OF ON-SITE TRAINING CONDUCTED UNDER PROJECT "TEACH" WAS ADMINISTERED TO 30 SELECTED ELEMENTARY-EDUCATION MAJORS. THE AIM OF PHASE I WAS TO CREATE AND IMPLEMENT CURRICULA INCORPORATING MEANINGFUL COURSES DESIGNED FOR TEACHERS OF THE CULTURALLY DEPRIVED. STUDENTS WERE…

TO DETERMINE WHICH COMMON TEACHING PROBLEMS CAUSE THE GREATEST CONCERN OR INSECURITY AMONG PROSPECTIVE TEACHERS, 445 JUNIORS (243 IN 1962-63 AND 205 IN 1963-64) TAKING A SECONDARY SCHOOL METHODS COURSE WERE ASKED TO RANK TWELVE MAJOR PROBLEMS IN THE ORDER IN WHICH THEY CAUSED CONCERN. THE PROBLEMS WERE COMPILED FROM THOSE OCCURRING FREQUENTLY IN…

The collaborative innovation described in this paper, the use of cooperating teachers in instructing methods courses, is an integral part of a thorough revision of the student teaching program in secondary social studies at the University of Alberta. This innovation was the response to multiple problems with the student teaching program.…

This paper suggests a model for the preparation of social studies teachers based on the writings of sociologist C. Wright Mills. In 1961 Mills stated that the purpose of social inquiry should be to help people understand the connection of their personal lives to the social structure, the institutional arrangements of society. Based on this…